April 14, 2023, 11:29 am | Read time: 4 minutes
The capabilities of Amazon’s popular Kindle e-reader series have been further explored with the Scribe. However, it is not a handy book-sized device but a tablet with a large, writable screen.
E-readers that allow writing with a stylus are not new–manufacturer Onyx has been doing it for more than a decade. Until now, tablets with E Ink displays have been more of a niche product. But Amazon apparently sees market potential here. The Kindle Scribe aims to impress with new display technology and an included stylus.
Overview
TECHBOOK was able to get a firsthand look at the Kindle Scribe. Learn more in the video:
Kindle Scribe shakes up the competition
The Kindle Scribe stands out from the competition with its high-resolution 10.2-inch display, which also features automatic light warmth–according to Amazon, the first of its kind. With 300 ppi (pixels per inch), it has a significantly higher pixel density than other E Ink tablets, which usually reach a value of 200-227 ppi. This is the same pixel density as the Kindle Oasis and Paperwhite. In theory, this should provide a razor-sharp image.
The screen’s light warmth adjusts automatically
Amazon seems to be doing many things right with the Kindle Scribe. While there are already some competing products on the market, their reach is significantly more limited than that of the Kindle family. Additionally, users have to make many compromises. For example, the Remarkable 2 does not have a backlit display, and Kobo’s Elipsa has a stylus that is active and therefore requires a AAA battery. Onyx’s Boox tablets play in a completely different category. They run Android, giving users access to the app store. They are more like traditional tablets, just with an E Ink display. Compared to the Scribe, they have a lower display resolution and are significantly more expensive.
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Battery-free stylus as standard
The base model of the Kindle Scribe comes with a “standard” stylus. For 30 euros more, there is a “premium” stylus, which has a customizable button and an eraser function on the top. Both styluses use the patented electromagnetic resonance technology (EMR) from the well-known graphics tablet manufacturer Wacom. This means they work without their own battery and do not need to be charged. Magnets in the stylus and e-reader allow for easy attachment to the Kindle Scribe’s casing.
The stylus allows for quick scribbling of notes or annotations in e-books. Even markup in PDF documents is possible. With better integration of Microsoft Word, text files should also be editable on the Kindle Scribe.
Size and battery life
Visually, the Kindle Scribe resembles the Kindle Oasis, with a wide display edge on one side for easier one-handed holding. At 5.8 millimeters thick and weighing 430 grams, the tablet is slightly thicker and heavier than the Remarkable 2, which is 4.7 millimeters and 404 grams.
According to Amazon, the Kindle Scribe should have a battery life of twelve weeks–with half an hour of reading per day. With half an hour of writing, the battery life is reduced to three weeks. This is partly because the screen has to work with a higher refresh rate.
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Price and availability of the Kindle Scribe
The Kindle Scribe is now available for pre-order and is expected to be delivered in early December. The base model with a “standard” stylus and 16 gigabytes (GB) of storage is available for 369.99 euros. The version with a “premium” stylus is available from 399.99 euros with 16 GB of storage. 32 GB costs 419.99 euros and 64 GB 449.99 euros.
Sources
- Amazon press release
- The Verge: Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing (accessed on 09/30/2022)